Enjoy A Healthy Winter With These Simple Preventive Steps

Well winter is here again this year & along with that will come so many different kind of sickness- such as flu, influenza, common cold to name a few. In a tropical country like India, it’s supposed to be the time of the year with the best weather. It’s no longer hot & humid and you probably don’t get sweaty & exhausted after doing some physical work. But for so many of us, such a beautiful time of the year is ruined due to sickness. If you happen to be among them for whom winter is a time for sickness every year, here’s a few simple tips that might actually help you to enjoy this lovely season.

1. Prevention is always better than cure

You may be taking care of your health all the year round but a few extra steps during winter will save you a lot of trouble from getting sick. For example, eating a healthy balanced protein based diet will simply enhance your immunity system. You may add herbs & other nutrients like vitamin C to your usual diet.

2.Exercise & be active

We know it’s difficult to get up from bed in a cold winter morning. But you must give up snuggling under the blanket & do some exercise. For older people, it is recommended that a little warm up before exercise will loosen your joints in this cold weather & thereby avoid any injury during exercise. Exercise indoors if it’s too cold to go outside, but do it. It’s important to keep up your body active for smoother blood circulation in these lower temperatures.

3. Eat concisely

Just because it’s important to eat well during winter months, doesn’t mean you can eat whatever you like. Fruits & vegetables that are available during winters are the best choice, as that is what nature is providing during that time. Please avoid fatty food items or ones with excess sugar as much as possible.

4. Get a nice long sleep

A good sleep(8 hours recommended for an adult) is slowly turning out to be the panacea for a long, healthy life, as more & more researches are being done on it. It can literally give a natural boost to your body’s immunity system without any medical treatment. Reduce consumption of alcohol, caffeine & other substances that can affect your daily sleep cycle. Meditation, other relaxation techniques along with regular exercise can augment your routine sleeping patterns. They will also bring down your stress level.

5. Protect the most exposed part of your body

The most exposed part of your body is the skin & during this time of the year, it tends to get dry & rough giving rise to various skin related problems including eczema. The preventive step is very simple- Drink lots of water, which in turn will keep the blood flow proper in your body thereby ensuring nutrient supplies to your skin. Normally 12-15 glasses of water are recommended for the human body on a daily basis. Avoid going below that level at least & if you can’t have so much water, try something else for the fluid intake like tea with herbs & spices. Besides moisturizers & cod liver oils will also prevent dry, vulnerable skin.

Besides this we all know winter comes as the earth is further away from the Sun during its revolution. Well here’s a new fact, sunburn in India, a country in northern hemisphere, is extremely common. So to protect yourself from this phenomenon, don’t forget the sunscreen lotion just because it’s winter.

6. Prevention even after being sick

If you or someone you know has caught cold, minimise contact as much as possible. Keep your house clean. The sick person needs to have lots of fluids along with hot tea, soup & long uninterrupted sleep to reduce the sickness duration.

7. Avoid stress as much as possible

Stress is simply unavoidable in our modern lives. It’s just stupid suggestion to say don’t have stress. But excessive stress disturbs the nervous system that controls the human body. A disturbed nervous system simply means the body has lower immunity during these cold winter months.

Apart from these simple tricks, remember even a simple cough lasting for weeks can sometimes turn out to be tuberculosis. Don’t be alarmed, just be aware & never hesitate to consult a medical practitioner, whenever you should feel suspicious about something regarding your health. These timely & preventive steps will simply help you to enjoy Christmas, New Year & other celebratory occasions with your loved ones during this lovely winter season.

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